US 8,914,363 B2 · Disambiguating tags in network based multiple user tagging systems

Abstract

Allowing users of a network based multiple user tagging system to use any phrase they feel is relevant to the resource can lead to ambiguities within the system. For example, a user may tag a picture of a gift with the keyword “bow”. Another user may tag a picture of a bow and arrow with the keyword “bow”. This may cause a problem for someone searching with the keyword “bow” when looking for information about making a bow for a gift. The user looking for gift bows does not want to see search results for bows and arrows. Functionality can be implemented in a folksonomy tagging system to disambiguate tags by associating them with definitions. Associating ambiguous tags with appropriate definitions will increase search accuracy for users of folksonomy tagging systems, thus allowing users to find relevant information more efficiently.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

determining that a first tag input into a network based multiple user tagging system for association with a resource is an ambiguous tag for the resource in the network based multiple user tagging system;
analyzing a plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and a set of one or more tags already associated with the resource to determine if at least one of the plurality of definitions is appropriate for the resource;
determining that at least a first of the plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag is appropriate for the resource based, at least in part, on said analyzing the plurality definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and the set of one or more tags already associated with the resource;
and
associating, in the network based multiple user tagging system, the ambiguous tag with the first definition and with the resource.

2 more elements

One or more machine-readable storage media having stored therein a program product, which when executed by a set of one or more processor units causes the set of one or more processor units to perform operations that comprise:

determining that a first tag input into a network based multiple user tagging system for association with a resource is an ambiguous tag in the network based multiple user tagging system;
analyzing a plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and a set of one or more tags already associated with the resource to determine if at least one of the plurality of definitions as appropriate for the resource;
determining that at least a first of the plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag is appropriate for the resource based, at least in part, on said analyzing the plurality definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and the set of one or more tags already associated with the resource;
and
associating, in the network based multiple user tagging system, the ambiguous tag with the first definition and with the resource.

2 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a set of one or more processing units;
a network interface;
and
a tagging system disambiguation unit operable to,
determine that first a tag input into a network based multiple user tagging system for association with a resource is an ambiguous tag for the resource in the network based multiple user tagging system;
analyze a plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and a set of one or more tags already associated with the resource to determine if at least one of the plurality of definitions is appropriate for the resource;
determine that at least a first of plurality of definitions for the ambiguous tag is appropriate for the resource based, at least in part, on said analysis of the plurality definitions for the ambiguous tag and at least one of the resource and the set of one or more tags already associated with the resource;
and
associate, in the network based multiple user tagging system, the ambiguous tag with the first definition and with the resource.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disambiguating tags in network based multiple user tagging systems

Life of this patent

Disambiguating tags in network based multiple user tagging systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19